Direct services from Durham to Middlesbrough

[tramfan208]

Hi everyone, I realise this will have been discussed at length in another thread, but can’t find it for the life of me!

I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that there’ll be direct services commencing next year from Newcastle to Middlesbrough via Durham rather than Sunderland (operated by Northern presumably). Can anyone shed any light on this and or / point me to the thread where it’s been discussed? Many thanks

 

[swt_passenger]

Hi everyone, I realise this will have been discussed at length in another thread, but can’t find it for the life of me!

I’m sure I’ve read somewhere that there’ll be direct services commencing next year from Newcastle to Middlesbrough via Durham rather than Sunderland (operated by Northern presumably). Can anyone shed any light on this and or / point me to the thread where it’s been discussed? Many thanks

It isn’t happening, Network Rail apparently cannot find paths for the service via Durham. I’ll try and find where it was posted...

There was a local news article linked here, the most recent discussion had ended up in the “Tyne Valley” thread, but it had been widely predicted:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/tyne-valley-line-timetable-updates.183326/page-2#post-4216978

 

[tramfan208]

It isn’t happening, Network Rail apparently cannot find paths for the service via Durham. I’ll try and find where it was posted...

There was a local news article linked here, the most recent discussion had ended up in the “Tyne Valley” thread, but it had been widely predicted:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/tyne-valley-line-timetable-updates.183326/page-2#post-4216978

Thanks very much for digging it out for me. Was starting to think I’d dreamt the whole thing!

 

[markindurham]

Path or stock shortages? There are certainly gaps in the traffic flow between Ferryhill and the King Edward Junctions, but could a path in/out of Newcastle be the issue?

 

[Darandio]

Path or stock shortages? There are certainly gaps in the traffic flow between Ferryhill and the King Edward Junctions, but could a path in/out of Newcastle be the issue?

It was related to paths.

 

[markindurham]

It was related to paths.

I wonder if consideration was given to sending them across the High Level Bridge? The KE Bridge does get busy, for sure. I'm pretty sure that a way could have been found if the will was there.

 

[swt_passenger]

I wonder if consideration was given to sending them across the High Level Bridge? The KE Bridge does get busy, for sure. I'm pretty sure that a way could have been found if the will was there.

I’m pretty sure it was conflicts down the line somewhere, probably Ferryhill, and not at Newcastle itself. AIUI the problem is with the future 2021/22 onwards ECML 3 tph Newcastle, XC, TPE and First Edinburgh open access timetables combined effects. So what is feasible today isn’t that relevant.

 

[Ianno87]

I wonder if consideration was given to sending them across the High Level Bridge? The KE Bridge does get busy, for sure. I'm pretty sure that a way could have been found if the will was there.

No doubt getting into Newcastle is the easy bit with these paths, no matter how much "will" is thrown at it.